Speakers at a programme on Tuesday stressed the need for effective implementation of the Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy, 2015 through a law to meet the target of SDG-8.7.
The SDG-8.7 is aimed at eliminating all forms of child labour by 2025.
They said collective effort is a must from all sections of the society for protecting the rights of the child domestic workers (CDW). Political will and citizen consensus are the two major requirements to this end, they viewed.
They disseminated the views at a national consultation styled 'Ensuring Rights of the Child Domestic Workers (CDWs): Issues and Opportunities' at The Daily Star Centre in the capital.
Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum (BSAF), with the support of Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH-NL) and Global March Against Child Labour, organised the event.
Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) Md. Mujibul Haque attended the programme as the chief guest.
BSAF Chairperson Md. Mahbubul Haque presided over the function.
Director of Child Rights Governance and Child Protection Programme of Save the Children, Bangladesh, Abdullah Al Mamun presented a keynote paper.
According to the ILO-UNICEF baseline survey 2007, the number of domestic workers in the country is 420,000. Among them, 83 per cent are female. Another research conducted by BILS has found that 33.6 per cent of the domestic workers are children and their age range is from 5 to 14. On average, these children work more than 10 hours a day. Not only that, these children are engaged in many kinds of hazardous work at their workplace, are often physically and mentally tortured by their employers.
The Domestic Workers Protection and Welfare Policy, 2015, specified that no children under 12 years of age can be employed as domestic workers at any household and also child domestic workers cannot be engaged in heavy and dangerous work. But in reality, these provisions exist only in paper as there has hardly been any progress in terms of their implementation.
Additional Secretary of the MoLE Dr. Md. Rezaul Haque and Country Director of Terre des Holmes Netherlands, Bangladesh office, Mahmudul Kabir were present at the event as guests of honour.
BSAF Director Abdus Shahid Mahmood gave the welcome address at the programme.
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